Robot athletes are going for the gold in Beijing, China, as the first ever World Humanoid Robot Games kicked off on Thursday.
As reported by Reuters, the event, held within Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, involves over 500 humanoid robots across 280 teams from 16 countries including China, the U.S., Brazil, and Germany. The teams come from both global universities and private robotics companies including China’s Unitree Robotics, Noetix Robotics, and Fourier Intelligence.
Humanoid robots are learning to move like real athletes
Remotely operated by their human teams, the robots will be tested for agility and skill competing in 26 events like football, martial arts, gymnastics, and track and field events like running and a 100-metre obstacle race. The robots must fit a long list of criteria including that they “must be self-developed, purchased or leased by the participating teams,” they “must have a trunk, upper limbs, and two feet,” and “should have their own energy sources.” There are also event-specific restrictions, like robots competing in long jump or high jump events can’t use elastic or take-off devices.
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